System and method for targeted Ad delivery

Abstract

Systems and associated methods for targeted ad delivery are described. In one aspect, a user profile includes at least one user content category identifier and a user interest score. The user interest score is increased by an amount if the content category identifier of a requested webpage matches the at least one user content category identifier. In a further aspect, the user interest score is indicative of a level of interest of the user in a content category identified by the at least one user content category identifier. In another aspect, the user interest score can be reduced according to a long-term decay rate that slowly reduces the user interest score. In another aspect, the user interest score can also be reduced according to a short-term decay rate that rapidly reduces the user interest score.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method comprising:
 locating a user profile of a user requesting a webpage from a web server, wherein the user profile includes a user interest score and a user content category identifier; 
 utilizing one of a plurality of decay rates to decay the user interest score over time such that responsive to the user interest score surpassing a threshold, the user interest score is reduced by a first decay rate, and responsive to the user interest score decreasing below another threshold, the user interest score is reduced according to a second decay rate which reduces the user interest score at a greater rate than the first decay rate; 
 increasing the user interest score by an amount responsive to a content category of the webpage matching the user content category identifier; 
 selecting an advertisement based on the user interest score; 
 providing the webpage and the advertisement; and 
 deleting the user interest score corresponding to a particular content category from the user profile responsive to the user interest score of the particular content category decreasing below a predetermined threshold. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first decay rate is a long term decay rate. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second decay rate is a short term decay rate. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the user interest score is reduced periodically according to one of the plurality of decay rates. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the user interest score is reduced daily according to one of the plurality of decay rates. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the user profile includes a plurality of interest scores corresponding to a plurality of user content categories. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 decaying a user interest score of a first content category in the user profile at a different rate from a user interest score of a second content category in the user profile. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7 , wherein different decay rates are selected from the plurality of decay rates for different interest scores responsive to receiving differing requests for webpages associated with different content categories. 
     
     
       9. A system comprising:
 one or more servers including a memory, wherein the one or more serves configured to: 
 locate a user profile of a user requesting a webpage, wherein the user profile includes a user interest score and a user content category identifier; 
 utilizing one of a plurality of decay rates to decay the user interest score over time such that responsive to the user interest score surpassing a threshold, the user interest score is reduced by a first decay rate, and responsive to the user interest score decreasing below another threshold, the user interest score is reduced according to a second decay rate which reduces the user interest score at a greater rate than the first decay rate; 
 increase the user interest score by an amount responsive to a content category of the webpage matching the user content category identifier; 
 select an advertisement based on the user interest score; 
 provide the webpage and the advertisement; and 
 delete the user interest score corresponding to a particular content category from the user profile responsive to the user interest score of the particular content category decreasing below a predetermined threshold. 
 
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 9 , wherein the first decay rate is a long term decay rate. 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 9 , wherein the second decay rate is a short term decay rate. 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 9 , wherein the user interest score is reduced periodically according to one of the plurality of decay rates. 
     
     
       13. The system according to  claim 9 , wherein the user interest score is reduced daily according to one of the plurality of decay rates. 
     
     
       14. The system according to  claim 9 , wherein the user profile includes a plurality of interest scores corresponding to a plurality of user content categories. 
     
     
       15. The system according to  claim 14 , wherein the one or more servers are further configured to:
 decay a user interest score of a first content category in the user profile at a different rate from a user interest score of a second content category in the user profile. 
 
     
     
       16. The system according to  claim 15 , wherein different decay rates are selected from the plurality of decay rates for different interest scores responsive to receiving differing requests for webpages associated with different content categories. 
     
     
       17. A method comprising:
 locating a user profile of a user requesting a webpage from a web server, wherein the user profile includes a user interest score and a user content category identifier; 
 utilizing one of a plurality of decay rates to decay the user interest score over time such that responsive to the user interest score surpassing a threshold, the user interest score is reduced by a long term decay rate, and responsive to the user interest score decreasing below another threshold, the user interest score is reduced according to a short term decay rate which reduces the user interest score at a greater rate than the long term decay rate; 
 increasing the user interest score by an amount responsive to a content category of the webpage matching the user content category identifier; 
 selecting an advertisement based on the user interest score; 
 providing the webpage and the advertisement; and 
 deleting the user interest score corresponding to a particular content category from the user profile responsive to the user interest score of the particular content category decreasing below a predetermined threshold. 
 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 17 , wherein different decay rates are selected from plurality of decay rates for different interest scores responsive to receiving differing requests for webpages associated with different content categories.